H258 - Open Amusement Parks/Arcades/Venues. (Ratified)

OVERVIEW: House Bill 258 would have done the following:

• Authorize amusement parks, any fair or carnival, which is a member of the North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs, and gaming and business establishments with video games and arcade games to open and resume operations, provided specific conditions are met.
• Authorize existing venues for receptions or parties to resume operations, provided specific conditions are met.
• Authorize outdoor stadiums having a spectator capacity of 12,000 or less that are operating restaurants on the stadium premises to open and operate food and drink service for on-premises consumption, provided specific conditions are met.
• Allow the Governor, with a concurrence of the majority of the Council of State, to exercise emergency powers to exercise emergency powers with regard to amusement parks, gaming and business establishments with video games and arcade games, any fair or carnival which is a member of the North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs, venues for receptions or parties, and outdoor stadiums that operate restaurants, provided the concurrence is documented and released.
• Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Secretary of Environmental Quality to notify the Governor and obtain the concurrence of a majority of the Council of State before issuing an order of abatement related to COVID-19 that requires closure of amusement parks, gaming and business establishments with video games and arcade games, any fair or carnival which is a member of the North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs, venues for receptions or parties, and outdoor stadiums that operate restaurants, and to document and release the majority concurrence of the Council of State.

House Bill 258 was ratified by the General Assembly on June 24, 2020, and vetoed by the Governor on July 2, 2020.